LeBron isn't Jordan, Bowen says

Tom Orsborn: LeBron isn't Jordan, Bowen says



http://blogs.mysanantonio.com/weblogs/courtside/

Tom Orsborn: LeBron isn't Jordan, Bowen says
Bruce Bowen can't stand it when people call Cleveland's LeBron James the next Michael Jordan.

It's unfair, Bowen says, to both James and Jordan.

"I think it's unfortunate for anyone to be labeled like that," Bowen said after practice Saturday. "In this day and age, everybody is looking for the next somebody. There have been so many Jordan labels put out there on guys. People should just allow the player to be whoever they are going to be. It's hard to live up to expectations, especially when you compare him to the greatest player of my era.
"Let (James) create his own path."

So who's the next Bruce Bowen?

"I don't think anybody wants that title," Bowen said with a laugh. "It's not a welcome title in this league."

• Bowen, who likely will defend James should the Spurs play the Cavs in the Finals, has something in common with the young superstar: They've both been kissed by coaches.

Cavs coach Mike Brown, in a move reminiscent of Bill Parcells after the Cowboys' improbable victory over Carolina last season, kissed James on the forehead after Cleveland's double overtime win over the Pistons on Thursday. The show of emotion was understandable considering James scored a playoff career-high 48 points, grabbed nine rebounds and dished out seven assists.

Asked if a coach has ever kissed him, Bowen said, "Yeah, but it wasn't on the mouth."

Asked for the coach's name, Bowen said with a smile, "I care not to divulge that information, but I will give you a hint. (His initials were) G.P."

• Manu Ginobili used his two days off to get reacquainted with his swimming pool and watch some movies.

"It was very nice to have a couple of days off," Ginobili said. "We really enjoyed it. And I think we needed it."

Ginobili, by the way, prefers movies from his native Argentina.

"I watch them whenever I have the opportunity," he said. "But they are hard to get here, so I have to wait until someone brings them to me or downloads them or something like that."

• While Ginobili relaxed the last couple of days, Bowen did what he usually does on his off time -- work out.

"I did defensive slides all by myself," Bowen said.

Little wonder he's the league's best defensive player.

Comments [3 Posted]: Read - Post

Tom Orsborn: Spurs focus on conditioning
With the start of the NBA Finals still five days away, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich focused on conditioning in the team's first practice since its Western Conference-clinching victory over Utah on Wednesday.

Although the Spurs didn't scrimmage Saturday, the session at the team's North Side practice facility included several drills that left the players dripping with sweat.

"We did a lot of things today to try to keep up our timing and our conditioning," Popovich said.

Every player participated in the hour-long workout, including Michael Finley, who was bothered by a sore back last week, and Fabricio Oberto, who tweaked his ankle in Game 5 against the Jazz.

Popovich said he hasn't burdened the team with detailed scouting reports on either Cleveland or Detroit. The Cavaliers can wrap up the best-of-seven Eastern Conference finals with a victory in Game 6 tonight in Cleveland.

"We watch both teams at this point," Popovich said. "Obviously, the most definitive focus comes later when one of them is victorious. If there is anything general or common to both teams, we can work on that, but there isn't a specific focus on one team."

Popovich also said there is no template to follow for such a long layoff.

"Every year is a new year," Popovich said. "It's best to do what one thinks needs to be done for that season, so we started from scratch."




YOU GO BOWEN

I'll say one thing...Bowen is a great defender. He by himself can't guard LeBron. It's gonna take a team effort. He might not be Jordan, but he is close to it. He dosent need to score to beat you. Bruce...all I can say is do your best.

Im sure Bruce thinks more of Lebron than you do Ducks :smokin :lol

I remember when people thought Vince Carter was the second coming.

good
he needs to because he needs to shut his ass down

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by djohn14

I'll say one thing...Bowen is a great defender. He by himself can't guard LeBron. It's gonna take a team effort. He might not be Jordan, but he is close to it. He dosent need to score to beat you. Bruce...all I can say is do your best.

---

we shall see :rolleyes

no field goals and the cavs are not ahead
he does have 9 points at half though
make him earn it from the stripe

I hate comparisons when it comes to star players. I think you only make comparisons when it comes to the new up and coming players. There's never going to be another Jordan or Steve Nash or Tim Duncan. LeBron is what he is.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by THE SIXTH MAN

I remember when people thought Vince Carter was the second coming.

---

I remember when Jerry Stackhouse and Grant Hill were supposed to be the next Jordan.

Of course LeBron isn't Jordan he plays a different style and unless he fixes up that jumpshot he won't score aswell as Jordan did.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ducks

good
he needs to because he needs to shut his ass down

---

that will not happen, slow him down a bit yes........SHUT down.........nope :rolleyes

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by adidas11

I remember when Jerry Stackhouse and Grant Hill were supposed to be the next Jordan.

---

Lebron reminds me more of Grant Hill than Jordan. But Grant Hill was sooo smooooth...not raw power like lebron. Grant Hill was the man... the MAN...

I think he was better than Lebron (strictly comparing lebron right now to hill in his prime. there's no telling where exactly lebron will peak).

I hate that fucking title... it seems to be intentionally misleading, as though Bowen said Lebron isn't good enough to be compared to Jordan. I guess they need those headlines.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Borosai

I hate that fucking title... it seems to be intentionally misleading, as though Bowen said Lebron isn't good enough to be compared to Jordan. I guess they need those headlines.

---

Ducks read the whole article that way though. :lol

That's why he said "Go Bowen!" at the end.

nopen saying it was unfair to compare him to mj
it is he is not mj but king james

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by THE SIXTH MAN

I remember when people thought Vince Carter was the second coming.

---

Vince is the first. First in ULTRA WHINING.

Here's the videos that has more of what Bowen and Manu said
in interviews after they got back from their two days off:

Manu
Bruce

Pop


Bruce's interview is funnier than reading it. :lol

Also Manu shaved. I was wondering why I said, "How come he looks different? did he get a haircut?"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by djohn14

I'll say one thing...Bowen is a great defender. He by himself can't guard LeBron. It's gonna take a team effort. He might not be Jordan, but he is close to it. He dosent need to score to beat you. Bruce...all I can say is do your best.

---

I disagree...if bron doesnt score the cavs are done.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ManuTim_best of Fwiendz

Here's the videos that has more of what Bowen and Manu said
in interviews after they got back from their two days off:

Manu
Bruce

Pop


Bruce's interview is funnier than reading it. :lol

Also Manu shaved. I was wondering why I said, "How come he looks different? did he get a haircut?"

---

Thanks for posting! Loved the part in Bruce's interview where he was asked if a coach ever kissed him! LOL...he took a while to answer, then said "yes"..."but not on the mouth"...Funny stuff. Bruce always has the best interviews!!!

LOL at Manu at the beginning of his interview..."Why you write like that? Diagonally?" Just having conversations with the reporters...

And Pop's interview is a classic as usual.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by THE SIXTH MAN

I remember when people thought Vince Carter was the second coming.

---

Anyone remember Harold "baby Jordan" Miner?

Didn't think so. :lol

It's all about the help defense. The Spurs have done it well for 3 rounds. Bowen will make Lebron work, but he will get by him. But Duncan, Oberto, and Horry will have to stay focused and be at the rim to block his shots, and grab rebounds.

If Oberto can play as well as he did against the Jazz and the Suns, I think he'll break out against the Cavs.

Duncan will have a huge series. The Cavs have no answer for him. No one does.

Manu and Parker will get to the basket at will. Finley will hit several clutch 3 pointers to earn his ring.

LeBron isn't jordan hes LeBron and thats a good statement there

Lebron is gonna own Bowen. He is both faster and stronger by far.

Let's hope help defense steps up.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by hater

Lebron is gonna own Bowen. He is both faster and stronger by far.

Let's hope help defense steps up.

---

At least someone is capable of not being a fucking homer.

Bron is going to own Bowen, the difference will be the Spurs playing team defense.

There is no one player in the league that can limit LeBron in anyway, shape or form. Teams can, but not one guy.

Just dont leave Gibson open, for Christs sake.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DarkReign

At least someone is capable of not being a fucking homer.

Bron is going to own Bowen, the difference will be the Spurs playing team defense.

There is no one player in the league that can limit LeBron in anyway, shape or form. Teams can, but not one guy.

Just dont leave Gibson open, for Christs sake.

---

Bowen's job isn't to shut Lebron down. His job is to force Lebron to make bad decisions and take contested shots, while saving the Spurs from having to double him constantly or trap him, leaving his teammates wide open. Lebron is bigger and stronger and quicker and younger. That's a given. Bowen has had his share of good games against Lebron. So long as the Spurs don't play zone or neglect to pick Lebron up like the Pistons did, I'm not worried.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ATXSPUR

I disagree...if bron doesnt score the cavs are done.

---

I like the Cav's chances either way because they possess the big bodies to dominate the boards, they can negate any edge that Duncan would have playing against pretty much any other team in the league by playing with size, whereas Lebron has all the tools to either score or set guys up with the open shots.

I've heard from the media that Gibson isn't going to get his points, and I just think they are crazy. We've already heard all about how Lebron has been in his ear giving the young man confidence, and his jumper is as fundamentally sound as any rookie that came out this year. Furthermore, with the skills Lebron possesses, he is going to dictate double and triple-coverage and that means guys are going to be open, plain and simple. If you don't double-cover Lebron, he'll go for 40, and if you do he has the vision to find the open man on the move every time. So right there I think we can see that there is more than just one way the Cavs can win, they won last series with him scoring as many as 48 points or as few as 20. I actually thought they looked better when he scored only 20 because we could see that the increased touches Gibson got only added to his confidence.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Behold The KING

Of course LeBron isn't Jordan he plays a different style and unless he fixes up that jumpshot he won't score aswell as Jordan did.

---

LeBron reminds me more of Larry Johnson than anyone else.

If Lebron beats the Spurs, we'll all be waiting for the next Lebron

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Obstructed_View

Bowen's job isn't to shut Lebron down. His job is to force Lebron to make bad decisions and take contested shots, while saving the Spurs from having to double him constantly or trap him, leaving his teammates wide open. Lebron is bigger and stronger and quicker and younger. That's a given. Bowen has had his share of good games against Lebron. So long as the Spurs don't play zone or neglect to pick Lebron up like the Pistons did, I'm not worried.

---

Dude, youre in for some serious disappointment.

If youre not trapping, hes scoring. Period. You have to attack him and live with his teammates results. Flip "The Fucking Village Idiot" didnt realize that until LeBron single-handedly owned the entire Pistons team in Game 5.

Game 6 his teammates, a la Gibson, hit their shots with near perfection. But that isnt going to be the case IF the Spurs do it from the beggining of the series. His teammates might steal a game, maybe 2, but over the 7 games, the Spurs will beat them handily.

Now, what I will say is this. Spurs can play any style, unlike Detroit. Detroit is a half-court team, and a half-court team only. Spurs can run, Spurs can iso, Spurs can play lockdown, Spurs can play the half-court better than 28 other teams.

I dont think this series will be won or lost on the defensive end. It will we won on the offensive end. Spurs can score, Pistons cannot. Pistons never got easy buckets, it was always contested. Spurs wont have this problem because they actually run an offense that doesnt consist of "spread-out, throw it in the post, live with the results".

Spurs are 100x the team the Pistons are on the offensive and defensive end. Cavs play excellent defense. But TP isnt Billups. Anyway, this is getting too long....

Heres the bottom line....the Spurs will have the same advantages that they have against every other team, versatility on offense. They are a matchup nightmare for any team. TP and Manu can drive and finish with the best and they are above-average to excellent jump-shooters (TP has really arrived, I am totally impressed as of this year, not just the playoffs..he has a jumpshot now which makes him near unguardable...I dogged him last year and hes made me eat those words). TD is TD. The Unstoppable Force. Gooden and Verajo cant guard him and if SideShow gets in foul trouble, who are they going to put on him, Donyell "I live on the 3pt line" Marshall?!

With the various offensive weapons the Spurs have, this series is not about defense or stopping/containing LeBron. Its about the Spurs offensive versatility that no team can match in the East (except the "old" Pistons who arent worthy of that distinction anymore). The Spurs will win because they can outscore the Cavs even against their excellent defense. The Cavs cannot answer that offense because they are a one-man team.

Spurs in 5. Book it.